Tangle free flag rigging

ABSTRACT

A flagpole having a pulley at its top is provided with a tube in surrounding relation therewith. Swivels are located at the top and bottom of the tube and rotatably support said tube with a flag being secured to the tube. A halyard is secured to the upper swivel, passes over the pulley, descends through the tube and is then secured to the lower swivel. Since the halyard is received within the tube the flag cannot become entangled therewith and when wind is directed at the flag the flag and tube rotate relative to the swivels thus preventing the flag from wrapping around the pole.

United States Patent Buffington, Jr. [451 Aug. 1, 1972 [54] TANGLE FREE FLAG RIGGING 2,178,466 10/1939 Bock ..l16/173 Inventor: Albert G- Buffington, Jr. R0. BOX 2,225,103 12/1940 Emerrnann ..116/173 96, New York 10011 2,368,783 2/1945 schllllnger ..1 16/1 74 [22] Filed: 1970 Primary Examiner-Louis J. Capozi 211 App]. 7 ,3 Attorney-Kirschstein, Kirschstein, Ottinger & Frank 52 US. Cl ..ll6/l74, 52/146 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..G09f 17/00 A flagpole having a pulley at its top is provided with a [58] Field of Search.....1 16/ 173, 174, 175; 40/125 N, tube in surrounding relation therewith. Swivels are l 25 146 located at the top and bottom of the tube and rotatably support said tube with a flag being secured References Cited to the tube. A halyard is secured to the upper swivel, passes over the pulley, descends through the tube and UNITED STATES PATENTS is then secured to the lower swivel. Since the halyard 3,41 Platt, Jr. ..l is received the tube the flag cannot become en- Macartney .-l tangled therewith and when wind is directed at the 756,989 4/ 1904 Suhr ..1 16/ 174 flag the flag and tube rotate relative to the swivels thus 1,102,413 7/ 1914 Jensen ..1 16/ 173 preventing the flag f wrapping around the pole" 1,306,915 6/1919 Klamroth ..116/174 1,547,416 7/1925 Edwards ..'1 16/ 173 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures 30 v f l 1'11 111 l l 11 l TANGLE FREE FLAG RIGGING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Flag flying apparatus 2. Description of the Prior Art There are generally two prescribed ways to fly a flag. The first way involves securing the flag by a halyard to a flagpole. This can be done by having a pulley located at the top of the flagpole with the halyard passing over the pulley. An alternative way of flying a flag is to secure it from a yardarm which generally consists of a horizontal beam. Usually when a yardarm is used the pulley is hung therefrom with the halyard passed over the pulley and securing the flag.

Whether a flagpole or yardarm is used it is very difficult to raise or lower a flag if it becomes entangled with the halyard. Additionally, wind often causes the flag to wrap around a flagpole when a flagpole is used or about the halyard when a yardarm is used. This, of course, is undeisrable since it is desired that the flag hang limp when there is no wind and wave when there is wind.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved means for preventing a flag from becoming tangled with its halyard.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for allowing a flag to be raised or lowered without contacting the halyard.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means for securing a flag in a manner such that when there is no wind it will hang limp and if there is wind it will wave and in no circumstances become entangled with its halyard or any of the supporting structure.

Still anotherobject of the present invention is to provide means that can be used with conventional flags to prevent said flags from becoming entangled with their halyards.

Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, the foregoingand other objects are achieved by placing a hollow tube about a flagpole. The tube may be made of plastic or aluminum and includes hooks or clamps by which the flag is attached thereto. The top and bottom of the tube are respectively received in upper and lower swivel rims which allow the tube to rotate relative thereto. A pulley is located at the top of the flagpole and a halyard is passed over the pulley and has one end secured to the upper swivel rim. The other portion of the halyard is passed through the tube and descends to ground level and then raises upwardly to where it is secured to the lower swivel rim.

The ends of the halyard serve to hold the rims and plastic tube which is attached thereto from moving in a longitudinal direction relative to the flagpole. The plastic tube swivels with respect to the rims so that the flag which is attached to the plastic tube may swing with the tube about the flagpole as wind is directed thereat. Since the halyard is-inside the tube the flag does not become entangled therewith.

In a further embodiment of the present invention which is designed for use with a yardarm a seam is formed on one end of the flag by folding over a portion thereof and securing the folded over portion to the other part of the flag. The halyard is secured to the top of the flag, to the yardarm and also passes through the seam. By having the halyard pass through the seam the flag is prevented from tangling with the halyard so it can easily be raised and lowered.

It is thus apparent that a Tangle Proof Flag Flyer is provided which achieves the objects of the invention as well as other objects not specifically herein set forth, and that is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiment might be made of the above invention, and as various changes may be made in the embodiment set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view of a flag being supported by an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a flag being secured to a yardarm by a still further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a further embodiment of the present invention which is particularly suited for securing a flag to a yardarm; and

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a still further embodiment of a present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS then securing the edges adjacent to each other. Means can be provided for placing a tension about the tube so that it will tightly fit about the flagpole no matter which portion of the flagpole it is about. The tube preferably is the same height as is the vertical height of the flag for a reason that will soon be apparent. Located at the top and bottom of the tube, respectively, are swivel rims 16 and 18. These rims are secured to tube 14 and can move relative thereto and vice versa. This can be done by any conventional technique, as will be apparent to a skilled mechanic. Located at the top of flagpole 12 is a pulley 20 and located adjacent the bottom of the flagpole is a cleat 22. A halyard 24 has one end secured to swivel rim 16, passes over pulley 20 and through tube 14 and about cleat 22 with the other end being secured to swivel 18.

A plurality of clamps 26 are secured vertically to tube 14 and flag 10 is secured to the clamps are shown in the drawings.

In normal use, tube 14 is positioned at the height at I height of the flagpole. This can be done by appropriate- I ly pulling on halyard 24 and elevating the tube until it is at the mid-point of the flagpole and securing the bottommost portion of the halyard about cleat 22. Since the halyard passes within tube 14 it cannot tangle therewith and as the flag is secured to the tube which can swivel within the swivel rims any wind which is directed on the flag and which would normally cause it to wrap around the flagpole, merely rotates the flag and the rotatable tube. Consequently, the flag does not wrap around the flagpole and will either wave in the wind or hang limp, but in no circumstances will it wrap around the flagpole.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 is particularly suited for securing a flag to a yardarm 30. Secured to yardarm 30 is a pulley 32 and the flag includes a seam 34 adjacent one end thereof. The seam can be formed by folding over a portion of the flag and securing it to the unfolded portion by suitable stitching or by any other means which may accomplish this purpose. Located on the top and bottom edges of the flag at the intersection of the folded over portion and nonfolded portion are grommets 36 and 38. A halyard 40 is secured to grommet 36, passesover pulley 32 and is received within sleeve 34 and passes about a cleat 42 which is fixed relative to the ground. The yardarm is then connected to grommet 38. When it is desired to raise and lower the flag the yardarm is appropriately moved and since it is within the flag sleeve it is impossible for the flag to tangle therewith as occurred with prior art arrangements for securing flags.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 is particularly designed to prevent a flag that is secured to a yardarm from becoming wrapped about itself. A tube 50 which is identical to the tube disclosed in FIG. 1 includes swivel rims 52 and 54 at its upper and lowermost portions and clamps 56. The flag is secured to the clamps. A pulley 58 is secured to the yardarm and a halyard extends from rim 54 over pulley 58 through tube 50, about cleat 55 to swivel rim 52 to which it is secured. It can readily be seen that raising and lowering the flag is simple with this embodiment of the present invention since the halyard is always within tube 50 and the flag cannot become entangled therewith. Additionally, since tube 50 can rotate within the swivel rims when wind impinges thereon the flat and tube will rotate preventing the flag from wrapping about itself as occurred with prior art arrangements for securing flags.

In FIG. 4 of the drawings a further embodiment of the present invention is shown in this embodiment of the invention a flag pole base is illustrated as being secured to the ground and a flag pole 102 is pivotably secured to base 100 and can be placed in a position in FIG. 4 parallel to the ground or in alignment with base 100 as is desired. A conventional means can be used for so positioning the flag pole. When the flagpole is placed parallel to the ground as shown in FIG. 4 a flagpole may be attached to the uppermost portion thereof and the flagpole can then be moved into alignment with base 100. By doing this the need for a pulley at the top of the flagpole is eliminated. Of course, if desired the flag may be secured to any portion of the pole since there are many occasions when the flag is flown at other than full mast. the embodiment set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

apparatus comprising a horizontal yardarm, a pulley secured to said yardarm, a halyard having two ends, securing means located directly beneath said pulley for securing said halyard, a flag, said flag being rectangular and having a sleeve formed at one vertical edge thereof extending from the lowermost portion of the flag to the uppermost portion thereof, one end of said halyard being secured to said flag at the uppermost portion thereof adjacent said sleeve, passing over said pulley, through said sleeve and about said securing means with the remaining end of said halyard secured to the bottomrnost portion of said flag adjacent said sleeve. 

1. Flag flying apparatus comprising a horizontal yardarm, a pulley secured to said yardarm, a halyard having two ends, securing means located directly beneath said pulley for securing said halyard, a flag, said flag being rectangular and having a sleeve formed at one vertical edge thereof extending from the lowermost portion of the flag to the uppermost portion thereof, one end of said halyard being secured to said flag at the uppermost portion thereof adjacent said sleeve, passing over said pulley, through said sleeve and about said securing means with the remaining end of said halyard secured to the bottommost portion of said flag adjacent said sleeve. 